Vehicle seat assembly



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 VEHICLE SEAT ASSEMBLY J. M. NICKELSEN ETAL March 14, 1950 Filed Dec.

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March 14, 1950 J, M NlcKELsEN ErAL 2,500,496

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March 14. 1950 J. M. NlcKl-:LSEN Erm. 2,500,496

VEHICLE SEAT ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 11. 1944 i 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 l i 47 4 42 52 5) 49 f 4f f 6 a uw U $54 5 I f .Il r n l 5 45 Il ,4 5,; i IN1/EN Tous .52S l I Jamv l/y/ateLJe/v Cuna'. es. 6v recap 59 BY ,For 6. 5x2/ess 57 257A? rwwe 500g, 4/ fw www Selbrra/@ve Vs Patented Mar. 14, 1950 VEHICLE SEAT ASSEMBLY John M. Nlckelsen, Ann Arbor, and Charles E. Read and Boy G. Spiess, Monroe, Mich., and Arthur Boor, Toledo, Ohio, mignon to Monroe Auto Equipment Company, Monroe, Mich., a i

corporation of Mic man Application December 11, 1944, Serial No. 567,844

1 Clalin.

This invention relates to vehicle seats and reters more particularly to an improved mounting for vehicle seats.

In many types of vehicles, such for example as tractors, the chassis frame is either directly connected to the road engaging wheels or is connected to the latter through suspension systems embodying springs which, oi necessity, must be very still to enable operation of the vehicle over uneven or rough ground. In either case the operator of the vehicle is subjected to an extremely rough ride, and this is true even though the seat for the operator is spring mounted, as the shocks resulting from propelling the vehicle over rough ground imparts an oscillating motion to the seat, which is not only annoying but is very tiring.

The present invention contemplates an improved vehicle seat mounting wherein the seat is supported on the vehicle through spring means and wherein the action of the spring means is controlled by a direct acting shock absorber of the type capable of damping or diminishing the motion oi' the seat caused by energy stored in the spring means when the wheels of the vehicle pass over irregularities in the road surface.

Another object of this invention is to provide a seat construction with a direct acting tubular type shock absorber arranged in the assembly to counteract any tendency for the seat to pitch" forwardly in response to the application of road shocks to the wheels of the vehicle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a vehicle seat assembly of the type briefly outlined above having provision ior adjusting the seat fore and ait of the vehicle.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a construction wherein the seat, spring and shock absorber form an assembly capable oi being adjusted fore and ait of the vehicle as a unit.

The above as well as other objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle seat assembly embodying the features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 ot Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 3 3 ci Figure 2;

Figure 3A is a sectional view taken on the line IA-IA of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane 4-4 of Figure 1:

Figure 5 is a verticalsectional view through the shock absorber employed in connection with the seat assembly;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a slightly modined construction of seat assembly; and

Figure l is a rear elevational view of a part of the construction shown in Figure 6.

It will be noted from the several iigures of the drawings that the reference character Il indicates a seat, il designates a spring for supporting the seat above a part I2 of the vehicle body. and the numeral i3 indicates a hydraulic direct acting tubular type shock absorber for controlling the action of the spring Il.

The seat ill selected for the purpose oi' illustrating this invention is of the type commonly used on tractors or similar equipment and is preferably formed of sheet metal. In detail the seat i0 comprises a base portion Il and a back portion I5 integrally connected to the base por tion. If desired the seat III may also be provided with a back rest I6 having a back engaging pad l1 supported at the proper elevation with respect to the seat i0 by means of a tubular member il. As shown in Figure 1, the lower end of the tubular member I0 ls connected to the back I5 of the seat lli by means oi a bracket i9 shown in Figure 4 as comprising laterally spaced ilanges 2l having the forward ends welded or otherwise secured to the back IU oi the seat adjacent the top of the latter. A sleeve 2| is positioned between the rear ends of the flanges 2l and is welded in place with the axis thereof extending in a generally vertical direction. The internal diameter of the sleeve 2| is predetermined to enable the lower end portion of the tube I8 to telescope into the sleeve and a pin 22 is extended transversly through the lower end of the sleeve to form an abutment i'or limiting downward movement of the tubular member IB relative to the sleeve 2l. Attention is also called to the fact that the lower end portion oi' the tubular member It is slotted to receive the pin 22. As a result of this construction, the pin 22 prevents rocking movement of the tubular member lll relative to the sleeve 2l, and the member IB together with the back rest I1 may be readily removed from the seat IB when desired.

The spring il comprises a bar oi spring metal and is substantially U-shaped. The spring is positioned between the seat il and the part i! of the vehicle in such a manner that one leg 23 of the spring engages the base portion |4 of the seat and the other leg 24 extends adjacent the part I2 of the vehicle. The rear end portion of the les 23 is bolted or otherwise nxed to the base |4 oi' the seat Ill and the leg 24 slidably engages a plate carried by the part I2 of the vehicle.

A substantially channelled shaped supporting bar 26 is secured to the top surface of the leg 24 of the spring for sliding movement as a unit with the spring, and a stop 21 is secured to the forward end of the bar 26 at the underside of the spring to restrict the extend of rearward sliding movement of the spring relative to the plate 25. It will be noted from Figure 1 that the rear end of the bar 26 projects beyond the corresponding end of the leg 24 of the spring and a bracket 2l is ilxed to the rear end of the bar 26. This bracket projects downwardly from the bar 26 and forms a stop for limiting the extent of forward movement of the spring relative to the plate 25.

It will, of course, be understood that the seat ||l slides as a unit with the spring so that the operator may readily position the seat in the mast advantageous location for manipulation of the vehicle controls. The seat is clamped in any one of a number of adjusted positions by means of a pressure pad 29 engageable with the base of the channel shaped supporting member 26 and operated by a cam or eccentric 36. The

veccentric 33 is suitably supported in a bore 4formed in the pad 29 with its axis extending perpendicular to the direction of sliding movement of the bar 26 or seat ||l and is secured to a rock shaft 3|. The opposite ends of the shaft 3| are respectively journalled in angle brackets 32 positioned at opposite sides of the bar 26 and having flanges 33 secured to the plate 25 by means of studs 34. Thus, it will be seen that angular movement of the rock shaft 3| in opposite directions respectively engages the pad with and releases the same from the bar 26. This rocking movement is accomplished by means of a lever 35 having one end secured to one end of the rock shaft and having the opposite end extending to a position where it may be conveniently manipulated by the occupant of the seat IB. The lever 35 is normally held in a position wherein the pad 29 grips the supporting member 26 by a tension spring 36 having one end anchored to the adjacent bracket 32 at a point spaced rearwardly of the shaft 3| and having the opposite end anchored to the. lever 35 forwardly of the shaft 3|. As shown in Figure l the rear end of the spring 36 is connected to a pin 3l having its center lying in a horizontal plane including the axis of the shaft 3|. As a result of the above construction the spring serves to hold the lever 35 in either its released position or its locked position.

The shock absorber |3 is shown in Figure 1 as having the opposite ends respectively pivotally connected to the seat i0 and the supporting member 26. The upper end of the shock absorber is provided with a lug 36 which extends between the flanges 29 of the bracket I9 and is pivotally connected to the bracket by a transverse pin 39. The lower end of the shock absorber is provided with a similar lug 40 and the later is pivotally connected to the bracket 28 on the supporting member 26 by a pin 4| having its axis extending parallel to the axis of the pin 39.

It follows from the foregoing that the seat Ill, spring and shock absorber I3 form an assem bly capable of being installed as a unit. It will further be noted that the upper end of the shock absorber is connected to the seat. adjacent the top of the back |5 of the latter and that the axis of the shock absorber extends substantially vertically. As a result of the above construction maximum vertical travel of the shock absorber is provided and forward pitching of the seat is resisted.

While any one of a number of different types or direct acting shock absorbers may be employed in the seat assembly described above, nevertheless, the type shown in Figure 5 is selected for the purpose oi illustration. Briefly described, the shock absorber I3 comprises a pressure cylinder 42 and an outer casing 43 cooperating with the pressure cylinder to provide a reservoir 44- for a hydraulic iiuld means. The lower end of the reservoir is closed by a cap 45 having the lug 4| secured thereto and the upper end of the reservoir is closed by a suitable plug 46 which is centrally apertured to receive the piston rod 4l. The upper end of the piston rod carries the lug 38 and the lower end of the rod carries a piston 49 having an external diameter predetermined to slidably engage the inner wall of the cylinder 42.

The piston 49 is provided with an outer series of ports 5|| and with an inner series of ports 5|. The outer ports 5U are normally closed by a check valve 52 and the inner series of ports 5| are closed by a laminated pressure relief valve 53 which is clamped to the bottom of the piston by means of a spring 54. The above construction is such as to enable relatively free iiow of fluid through the piston in an upward direction end to provide restricted flow of fluid downwardly through the piston.

The lower end of the cylinder 42 is closed by a valve 55 having a central opening 56 communicating with the reservoir 44 and having a series of ports 5l surrounding the central opening 56 and also communicating with the reservoir. The flow of fluid into the cylinder 42 through the central opening 56 is controlled by a check valve 53 and the flow of fluid from the cylinder 42 to the reservoir 44 is regulated by a laminated pressure relief valve 59. As a result of this construction fluid is permitted to flow relatively freely from the reservoir 44 to the cylinder 42 and the ilow of fluid in the opposite direction from the cylinder 42 to the reservoir is restricted to a substantial degree.

In operation when the piston 49 travels downwardly the fluid in the cylinder 42 below the piston passes upwardly through the series of ports and the pressure of this fluid unseats the check valve 52 to permit the fluid to enter the portion of the cylinder above the piston. Due to the fact that the piston rod 41 occupies a position in the portion of the cylinder above the piston 49, it follows that the available space in this portion of the cylinder is less in volume than the space below the piston. Thus. as the piston continues to move in a downward direction in the cylinder 42 suicicnt pressure is built up against the valve 59 to unseat the latter and permit the excess fluid lo How into the reservoir 44 through the ports 5T.

On the other hand when the piston moves in an upward direction in the cylinder 43, fluid under pressure acts upon the relief valve 53 to open the latter and permit the flow of fluid through the inner series of ports 5| in the piston to the portion of the cylinder below the piston. As the piston 49 travels upwardly in the cylinder,

. the piston rod 4l moves out of the cylinder and,

therefore, it is necessary to replenish the cylinder with a quantity of hydraulic fluid medium. This required additional amount oi' fluid is supplied by the reservoir u through the check valve 68 which opens relatively free so that very little or no resistance is offered to the ow of the fluid. Thus, it will be apparent that the shock absorber I3 acts to dampen shocks transmitted to the seat I0 through the spring II.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 6 and 7 differs from the one previously described in that the seat I0 is not adjustable with respect to the supporting part I2 of the vehicle. In addition, it will be noted that the spring 60 is of slightly different contour than the spring I I and is anchored directly at' the lower end to the part I2 of the vehicle. The upper end of the spring is secured to the bottom of the seat I Ii and is provided with a lug 6I forming an attaching bracket for the upper end of the shock absorber I3. The lower end of the shock absorber is pivoted to a bracket B2 which is secured directly to the part I2 of the vehicle.

The spring 60 is provided with a reinforcing spring 63 and operates in practically the same manner as the spring Il to support the seat I0 upon the vehicle. The shock absorber I3 may be the same in construction as the shock absorber previously described and operates to control the action of the spring in the same manner as described in connection with the first embodiment of this invention. Attention is called to the fact that in both embodiments of this invention, the tubular type shock absorber extends substantially vert'cally between the seat and supporting member for the seat. As a result, the shock absorber acts as a safety strut for supporting the back portion of the seat in the event of failure of the leaf spring.

What we claim as our invention is:

A vehicle seat assembly comprising a seat having a base portion adapted to be spaced above a vehicle supporting part, a bracket substantially U-shaped in cross section having the base attachable to the supporting part, spring means positoned between the base portion of the seat and bracket. said spring means cpmprising a leaf spring having vertically spaced substantially par.. alle] arms connected together at the front of the seat by a loop portion and having the lower arm slidably engageable with the base of the bracket between the legs on said bracket, means securing the upper leg to the base of the seat, a reinforcing member secured to the lower arm between the bracket legs and having a portion thereof projecting rearwardly beyond the free end of the lower spring arm so as to be engageable with the supporting part and limit forward sliding movement of said seat assembly relative to said supporting structure, a tubular direct acting hydraulic shock absorber positioned at the rear of arms with its axis extending substantially vertically and having the opposite ends respectively connected to the seat and reinforcing member portion, and releasable clamping means carried by the upwardly projecting legs on the bracket and engageable with the reinforcing member to clamp the seat assembly in any one of the adjusted positions thereof and with the spring loop portion to limit rearward sliding movement of the seat assembly relative to said bracket.

JOHN M. NICKELSEN. CHARLES E. READ. ROY G. SPIESS. ARTHUR BOOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,747,932 Dufaux Feb. 18, 1930 1,777,463 Deering Oct. 7, 1930 1,964,405 Nenne June 26, 1934 2,162,476 Casper June 13, 1939 2,284,352 Zank May 26, 1942 2,308,446 Fruehauf Jan. 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 556,818 France Apr. 20, 1923 776,948 France Nov. 17, 1934 

